I lived in La Paz from 1972 to 1974 and was a member of El Club Andino. I skied up there a number of times and the experience was awsome. Yes, the belt, rope and hook for scooping the cable out of the snow was something else. Always came back down to the embassy with a monumental headache. The bus trip was incredible with wooden chairs stuck in extra down the aisle. Chickens and llamas also passengers. Never to be forgotten.

April 10, 2011Bozorgzadegan Amir from Iran

Chacaltaya ski resort the great,
Is it really active yet, why the sounds are negative?
I would like to have more information about one of the highest altitude ski resort in the world.
It's description back to the Ande ranges. but really 4895m to 5395m altitude for skiing is something else! it is just about 400m less than our Damavand peak in Iran.
We say it simply, where we live next to the fun coils at home, but we feel it in area by head-ach, lips colour purple,
heart rythme faster and so on...
But it is amazing.

February 07, 2010Nils Forssberg from Sweden

Me and my buddy, Junior, skied Chakaltaya in the spring of 1986 after a couple of seasons in Vail CO and participated in the Bolivian championships in slalom but due to the fact that we were not citizens the medals went to the locals. Even though we had been at high altitudes for more then two years we needed the local brew to be able to breath :-) I was sad to find out that the glacier is no longer there but glad that we had the opportunity to ski this the highest ski resort in the world. Keep on skiing dudes and dudettes.

April 22, 2009Jan Joroff from Afghanistan

I skied at Chaclatay (Chacaltaya) 20 years ago on Easter Sunday. What incredable views. Could see the volcanos in Chile and Lago Titicaca. Very unusual lift. I've skied all over the world and this was the most unique place I've ever been to. Sad to hear of the closing. I will miss it. My head was pounding from the altitude but we had a great time.

November 19, 2008Joe from United States

I learned to ski at Chacaltaya back in the early 90s. I tell the stories about the ski lift and skiing around the ice caves and people do not believe me. I always say that if you could ski Chacaltaya, you can ski anywhere.

November 02, 2008"Gringo" from United States

I spent the first 16 years of my life in La Paz. As a teen I belonged to the Club Andino Boliviano and skied Chacaltaya every Sunday of the ski season for three years.

It is with gladness that I remember those days, '59 - '61. The skiing was fantastic, the people weer wonderful and helpful, and the mountain was in full bloom. Sadly, Chacaltaya, as a ski area, has passed on. I last visited Chacaltaya in 1997, it was sad to see an old friend dying.

August 24, 2006 Diego from Argentina

I have skied 10 years ago in Chacaltaya. I was coming from a lower level than La Paz, from Tipuani river and the same morning of my arrival I went up to Chacaltaya.
The bus driver drank gin to get courage to face the ice on the road. One woman complained to the driver and most of the passangers told her that she shouldn't bother.
The lifter had a wooden device with a rope and a hook and you should keep it when you were skiing, the problem was that if you left the device in lifter cable, all the system breaks down, as it finally occured (I was the guilty).
Anyway, the snow was incredible, the view superb, the people friendly, and the drivers gin was fine.
Pity my headache.